Rodney McAree feels Dungannon Swifts 'so much better prepared' for another final trip after Irish Cup glory

Performing across 90 minutes – or 120 and penalties as it transpired for the Swifts 12 months ago – is almost the easy thing for players and staff, quickly settling into a familiar environment, but all of the extras were new for most.

There was suit fittings, pre-match breakfast, travel arrangements, post-match plans and 101 other things which needed to be organised by a willing army of Dungannon volunteers before their team could even step foot on the Windsor Park pitch.

Dungannon had only previously reached one Irish Cup final prior to last season’s triumph – a devastating penalty shoot-out defeat to Linfield in 2007 when McAree was captain – but these mammoth events are now becoming more natural.

Having navigated their way past Ards, Portadown, H&W Welders and Cliftonville in a repeat of their most famous day, Coleraine present the final hurdle as Dungannon attempt to become just the seventh club to lift consecutive Irish Cup crowns.

While last year presented chaos, a sense of calm sweeps across Stangmore Park this time around, and McAree feels the club is better for the experience.

"It's brilliant for the club,” said McAree. “The club went above and beyond last season in terms of everything they did, the preparation, how they looked after the players, how they looked after staff and people around the club.

"They've probably done that thinking to themselves it's going to be a long time before we're back, but 12 months later we find ourselves back in another final, it's just brilliant.

"It's something to look forward to, a challenge that we have to embrace and we have to believe that we can get over the hurdle, even though we know it's going to be a very difficult hurdle to get over.

"There was so much last year that was thrown at us, we didn't understand what was coming and we didn’t deal with it quickly enough...it ended up being a rush.

"With the experience of last year, we had a wee bit more of an understanding.

"Simon Graham, our general manager, Lynsey Arthurs, our secretary, I've learned from that experience as well and that know-how, I've been so much better prepared and ready to go this year.

"It's probably been less stressful for them, but that just comes through the experience of having it the season before.

"We have experienced players within the group as well. You’ve people like Paul Doyle, who's come in with League of Ireland experience and it shouldn't faze those players.

"They'll just be relishing the opportunity of getting out there and sampling it for themselves.”

Dungannon have endured a puzzling season – the Swifts lost their opening five league matches and seven of their last nine before the split, but a sensational run which replicated top-of-the-table form between September and December set the platform for another top-six finish.

They enter the Irish Cup final on the back of seven straight losses, failing to win any of their post-split fixtures, and ended the campaign with as many league defeats (22) as Crusaders, who settled for a promotion/relegation play-off.

Their goal difference (-35) was the worst recorded by any Premiership team, but all of that will quickly be forgotten if Gael Bigirimana is hoisting the famous trophy above his head on Saturday evening.

August feels like a long time ago for McAree and he can pinpoint the moment in which his side’s season turned.

"At the end of this season, our results haven't been good enough,” he added. “Whenever we were in a position in the league where we couldn't really do anything more, we had to look after players and make sure that we had them ready for May 2.

"The start of the season was tough, it was hard, but we knew within the group that we were more than capable, it was just a case of sticking at the task and keeping going.

"I remember we had a game against St Mary's in the Mid-Ulster Cup and it came at a very good time for us because it was after the fifth defeat and we managed to go out and win that.

"Then we went and beat Glenavon the weekend after, which gave us a little bit of confidence and belief.

"We managed to kick on from there and finish in the top-six two years in a row. It's been exceptional from the players' point of view and from the group's point of view, it’s more than deserved.”

McAree’s family name is synonymous with Dungannon Swifts – Rodney grew up at the club while father Joe, a local legend, held various roles, including first team manager.

Moments like leading his hometown team to an Irish Cup final means that bit more for someone like McAree, who is savouring every second of current success.

"I live less than a mile away from the ground, I'm there every day,” he said. “It's a full-time job for me between it and Dungannon United Youth.

"It means a great deal and it's brilliant to be involved in it. After winning it last year, it just gives you a taste that you want to win more and you want to be involved in these occasions more and more.

"It's exceptional that we've now a second one to look forward to.”